Families bond around game boards at Hillsboro Public Library for National Gaming Day

View full sizeMolly Harbarger/The OregonianFour-year-old Kavya Veeredhi helps her dad, Raj Veeredhi, play Chutes and Ladders on Saturday at Hillsboro Public Library. About a dozen people had gathered at the beginning of the National Gaming Day event, sponsored by the American Library Association.

When the Grateful Dead sang about the games people play now, they probably didn't mean Scrabble, Chutes and Ladders or Super Mario Bros. on Wii, but all were present Saturday as part of National Gaming Day, which encourages families to spend time together playing.

"I'm pretty sure that's why we had the Wii in the first place," she said.

Nationwide, the event draws more than 20,000 people annually, according to the association. At Hillsboro, about a dozen children and parents wandered among tables laden with boxes of games, a large screen for video games and a well-stocked snack table. The event drew both board game fanatics and casual gamers.

Raj Veeredhi of Beaverton challenged his 4-year-old daughter Kavya to Chutes and Ladders. They play lots of games together at home, Kavya said, and Candyland is her favorite. They were in a close game Saturday, but Kavya was humble when admitting she beats her dad "sometimes."

"I lose most of the time," Raj Veeredhi said.

A more intense match of Luck of the Draw was taking place at the next table. It's like Pictionary but doesn't require as much artistic skill, said Jonas Fowler of Beaverton.

"You don't have to be the best drawer, which makes it a bit more fun," he said during a break in the action.

Fowler, his wife Martha and kids Angelina, 10, and Kael, 7, brought the game, along with a bag of several others. Avid gamers, they own 273 board games.

"It's something we can do together," Martha Fowler said.

Not only does it create memories, but also the drawings help the Fowlers remember them.

"Sometimes, thinking back, I see some of the pictures and I remember the stories," Jonas Fowler said.

Meanwhile, Ryan Oppenheimer, 8, challenged his dad's latest play in Scrabble. Mark Oppenheimer of Hillsboro assured his son his double word was kosher, but Ryan was already starting to focus on the Wii game in the background. The Oppenheimers don't plan regular game nights, but came to the event after Ryan's mom saw it listed.

"We do play Scrabble and a few things, but we don't play too many games at home," Mark Oppenheimer said. "Of course, video games always take priority."

Scrabble is Ryan's favorite game, an uncommon choice for his age, made only more unusual by listing geography games as his runners-up.

"They're quick," Ryan explained.

Even the librarian monitoring the game day joined in the fun.

"I played a little Sorry earlier," Sheedy said. "We'll see what happens."